Essex County Council is ensuring its highways do not become a target as scrap metal prices remain high in the UK.

The council is pursuing a programme to replace signs made of high-value metal with glass-reinforced polyester (GRP).

This is a type of plastic which is sturdy and does not degrade over time when exposed to the elements.

Around 2,500 signs have already been replaced in Essex using GRP. Essex highways services has also been replacing stolen manhole covers with hinged ones to prevent theft and ensure public safety.

Cllr Norman Hume, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: ‘We are going through times when the value of all commodities, including scrap metal, is particularly high and it’s leading, quite literally, to highway robbery.

‘After a spate of thefts, we started to work with our contractors to replace our signage, where possible, with this new value, non-recyclable material.’